By Saheed Ibrahim

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In order to ensure safety of students and staff of schools in Ondo state, private schools across the state, under the supervision of the Ondo state Ministry of Environment, would be fumigated.
As contained in a communique issued after a tripartite meeting among the state Ministry of Environment, National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Ondo State Chapter and the consulting organisation, MGGV Environmental Services the exercise will commence this Friday across the three Senatorial Districts simultaneously.
According to the communique, the purpose of the exercise is to ensure the schools were hygienic and safe for both students and staff.
The communiqué also reads that the fumigation exercise will be carried out on Fridays and the chemicals to be used have been certified environmental friendly, which will only last in the atmosphere for 24 hours.
While fumigation of boarding houses will be delayed till next holiday period, relevant stakeholders are to ensure serious supervision of the exercise.
Addressing journalists after the tripartite meeting, the Permanent Secretary, Ondo State Ministry of Environment, Pastor Akin Asaniyan stressed that the Ministry was aware of the current ravaging coronavirus and other diseases that may endanger lives of students and staff in schools, hence the need to ensure their safety as schools across the state resumed new academic session this week.
He said the exercise was necessary because the education sector is one of the most sensitive sectors in the country and both the students and the staff must be protected
Asaniyan assured the public that the ministry would ensure schools are safe and hygienic for healthy teaching and learning, charging public schools to take a cue from the exercise.
The Permanent Secretary however noted that the state Ministry of Environment was not only ensuring clean and hygienic environment in schools alone but also across every stratum of the state, stressing that supermarkets, restaurants, malls and other public places were being monitored to ensure their proper hygiene and safety.
He noted that the fumigation exercise was not done during the last holiday period as students in terminal classes were writing exams.
Also speaking, the President, National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, Ondo State Chapter, Rev Ranti Joseph described the exercise as welcomed and ideal development, saying it would ensure the students and staff were safe.
He promised that private school owners across the state would ensure that over 4,000 private schools across the state were fumigated.
Also speaking, the Consultant in charge of the fumigation exercise, Pastor Mrs Afolalu Gold said her organisation had enough manpower and resources to carry out the exercise and deliver as expected.
She said the fumigation of schools was not only for COVID19 but also a necessity to ensure germs, bacteria, insects, reptiles and other disease causing agents in the schools were eradicated.